Now I'd like to recreate that environment for a 2:20+ sequence at the introduction to the video.
I've made an Illustrator file for the little flying circle/triangle object, but I'm at a loss as to how to recreate the fading trail behind it. I tried Echo and CC Time Blend, saw absolutely NOTHING. Nada. Zip. That suggests a fault not with the computer but with the idiot controlling it! :)
None of the effects seem to do anything to the .ai file. I can get a little bit of glow, but when I put the intensity at 100 and the radius close in, it looks like it doesn't even have the effect applied. Is there something special about .ai files where they don't like effects?
And the background environment...Would that kind of clutter be feasible in AE if there was enough source art, or would something like 3dsMax/Lightwave/Maya be better for creating that kind of environment? Trying to figure out my gameplan here, I'm almost finished with the Design Document for the video timings, themes, and effects.
Like the topic says: Trying to find the best way to about this. Feel free to email too!
Re: Best way to go about this... by Aharon Rabinowitz on Oct 28, 2005 at 1:39:29 pm
I think it was done almost entirely in "2.5D" (like AE 3D which only uses flat layers). The camera starts to rotate, but almost eimmediately cuts. None of the rotation is serious, so you can get away with it.
I think it uses a bunch of flat layers - many of them with fractal and Boxy fractal effects (Noise>Fractal Noise), some grids (Render > Grid), and transfer modes like Screen or Add.
They are clearly 3D flat layers (turned slightly to give it more depth) with things just moving at different speeds and directions.
Don't be fooled by that green trail. It's not some cool effect. All it is is a green rectangle that goes being fully opaque to fully transparent. All you need to do is make a the same rectangle and attach it to the back of your object. You can do that in illustrator or with a solid in AE using a feathered mask.
For extra kick, just give it a transfer mode like Add and maybe duplicate it (So one on top of the other) and give the top layer some blur and lower the opacity a lot. You're going to have to experiment for this.
Does that help?
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Aharon Rabinowitz
aharon(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
www.allbetsareoff.com
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Creative Cow Master Series DVD
particleIllusion Fusion Volume 1
available @ www.pIllusionFusion.com
Re: Best way to go about this... by Earendil on Oct 28, 2005 at 10:44:02 pm
Thank you so much re/that green trail. I thought it was a particle effect because in later shots there's some acceration of that disk, and you can see the trail begin to appear, but yah just a gradient layer would do that.
I'm glad that environment is feasible with the AE engine I wasn't looking forward to figuring out how to cell shade, and map textures within a 3d program, which I'm sure is how some parts of the sequence were made.
So is it possible to create those 3d light spheres in AE? Would they have to be imported? We'll see.
Re: Best way to go about this... by robkahn on Oct 28, 2005 at 4:43:40 pm
Try animating your ai shape. Then create a precomp of the animated layer. Then apply the echo to the precomp. Audition the different echo operators. Lower the decay down to adjust the fade. Is that on the right path?
Re: Best way to go about this... by Earendil on Oct 28, 2005 at 10:46:16 pm
So if I understand you correctly. Animate the disk as a seperate comp, then import that comp into the main comp and apply the effect to the imported comp itself?
I never see anything in the preview window when I have that kind of....nesting I think it's called.
Re: Best way to go about this... by Todd on Oct 30, 2005 at 5:45:08 pm
You can make 3d spheres in AE using the Invigorator plugin from Zaxwerks. A cheaper solution depending on exactly what look you're going for is to make a point light and apply Trapcodes LUX which will give the light a visible volumetric 3d look. Your video no longer works so I'm not sure the exact look you're going for.
Re: Best way to go about this... by Aharon Rabinowitz on Oct 30, 2005 at 10:00:35 pm
Non educational versions of AE come with the Cycore effects (sperate installer on the disk) - an effect called CC sphere, which makes 3D sphere's *might* work.
----------------------------------------
Aharon Rabinowitz
aharon(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
www.allbetsareoff.com
----------------------------------------
Creative Cow Master Series DVD
particleIllusion Fusion Volume 1
available @ www.pIllusionFusion.com
